Building Dental Workforce Capability and Best Practice: Collaboratively Developed Domestic and Sexual Violence Training Resources
Tracks
Room 2: In-Person Only
| Tuesday, November 25, 2025 |
| 1:35 PM - 2:05 PM |
Overview
Ann Carrington, Be Conscious
Details
1. Dentists have a vital role in recognising, responding and referring patients who experience DSV but, to be effective they require appropriate training and accessible resources to develop capabilities and support best practice.
2. Inter-professional collaboration between dentistry, social work, and DSV services enables the development of dentistry-specific training resources that encourage best practice when providing trauma informed care to victim-survivors. Especially with vulnerable populations in regional and remote communities is required.
3. Dental practitioners or Oral Health Professionals trained to competently recognise, assess and respond to DSV, prioritise safety, provide information and refer as required can make a difference.
Speaker
Dr Ann Carrington
Trauma Therapist and Adjunct Academic
James Cook University
Building Dental Workforce Capability and Best Practice: Collaboratively Developed Domestic and Sexual Violence Training Resources
Presentation Overview
Domestic and sexual violence (DSV) is a widespread, preventable issue with profound health and social consequences. Dentists occupy a unique position to identify and assist patients who may be victim-survivors of DSV during routine assessments. Recognizing the need for targeted education, our interdisciplinary team developed the Dentists and Domestic Violence - Recognise, Respond and Refer (DDV-RRR) program. This initiative equips dental students with the skills to identify, respond, and refer patients affected by DSV.
While evaluation feedback highlighted the importance of authentic educational resources, dentistry-specific training tools in Australia to address DSV were notably absent. To bridge this gap, we created and assessed a suite of resources designed to enhance clinical skills and build workforce capability. A Participatory Action Research Model was employed and victim-survivors, dental professionals, dental students, and community stakeholders participated to ensuring the resources were authentic and practical.
The project employed mixed methods, including thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups, with preliminary findings peer-reviewed by dental specialists and DSV experts. Formative evaluations shaped the development of educational videos and materials, while summative evaluations ensured best practices in delivering trauma-informed, person-centred care to diverse patient communities were established.
These resources help dentists adopt a gendered analyses and trauma-informed approaches, allowing them to better support vulnerable patients. The initiative has garnered positive feedback from dental schools, organisations, and oral health professionals nationwide, marking a significant step toward enhancing the dental workforce’s ability to address DSV effectively.
While evaluation feedback highlighted the importance of authentic educational resources, dentistry-specific training tools in Australia to address DSV were notably absent. To bridge this gap, we created and assessed a suite of resources designed to enhance clinical skills and build workforce capability. A Participatory Action Research Model was employed and victim-survivors, dental professionals, dental students, and community stakeholders participated to ensuring the resources were authentic and practical.
The project employed mixed methods, including thematic analysis of interviews and focus groups, with preliminary findings peer-reviewed by dental specialists and DSV experts. Formative evaluations shaped the development of educational videos and materials, while summative evaluations ensured best practices in delivering trauma-informed, person-centred care to diverse patient communities were established.
These resources help dentists adopt a gendered analyses and trauma-informed approaches, allowing them to better support vulnerable patients. The initiative has garnered positive feedback from dental schools, organisations, and oral health professionals nationwide, marking a significant step toward enhancing the dental workforce’s ability to address DSV effectively.
Biography
Ann Carrington, Ph.D., BSW (Hons I), is a social work practitioner, academic, and researcher with over 20 years experience in the fields of domestic and sexual violence (DSV), trauma and complex trauma. She developed the ‘Vortex of Violence’ practice model for working with survivors of DSV. She recently collaborated with James Cook University Dentistry in the design, development and evaluation of Educational Resources supporting dental students learning on how to recognise, respond and refer in cases of domestic violence from a trauma-informed approach. In private practice Ann works directly with victim-survivors of complex trauma stemming from a range of experiences.
